I am a native of the Portland area having moved to Milwaukie 10 years ago. I have a life-long interest in the arts, especially music. For the last 10 years I have volunteered for Portland Baroque Orchestra, a period Instruments ensemble playing the works of Bach, Mozart and many others. I sang, until recently, with the University of Portland Choral Union and love the opera, attending whenever I can. My other musical interest is jazz. Luckily, Portland has several venues and many talented artists in this field to hear live. I am a member of the Portland Art Museum and hope someday to be a docent. As an educator I am passionate that the arts should be a vital part of the curriculum, not an extra when there's enough money. Fortunately the Milwaukie School system has a dedication to the arts and supports a charter school for the arts within its high school. I am excited to be a member of this creative group, artMOB, and to be involved in Milwaukie's growth in making the arts a visible part of its culture.